Inmate suspect in slaying of prison cellmate

A man imprisoned for the attempted murder of a San Joaquin County prosecutor is now under investigation for the death of a fellow inmate at California State Prison, Corcoran.

Jennie Rodriguez-Moore

A man imprisoned for the attempted murder of a San Joaquin County prosecutor is now under investigation for the death of a fellow inmate at California State Prison, Corcoran.

Allen Duane Queen, 48, is suspected in the homicide of his cellmate, whose identity had not been released Friday.

The man found dead was serving a six-year sentence for lewd and lascivious acts on a child younger than 14 and petty theft with a prior offense out of Los Angeles County.

Queen was sent to Corcoran on a 259-year sentence after being convicted in San Joaquin County on a number of charges, including the attempted murder of Deputy District Attorney Ken Puckett.

Prison staff found Queen's roommate unresponsive inside the cell at about 8:30 p.m. Thursday, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The man was pronounced dead at 9:16 p.m. at an outside hospital where he was transported.

The Kings County District Attorney's Office is investigating the death, state officials said.

The victim's name is being withheld pending notification of relatives. He had served three other prison terms.

About 10 years ago, Queen was convicted of five felonies that, because of previous criminal violations, rendered him a prison lifer.

Queen was in court on June 19, 2003, to hear the jury's verdict when he lunged at Puckett, the prosecutor in his case, with a smuggled shank made out of a plastic coat hanger, according to courtroom testimony. Puckett sustained injuries to his face and neck.

Queen admitted to watching Puckett for the opportunity to attack him, saying he was upset that during the previous trial, Puckett suggested Queen threatened to kill his own son.

For the assault, Queen was found guilty of attempted murder of a government officer, possession of a weapon by a prisoner, assault with a deadly weapon of a custody officer, stalking, dissuading a witness against testifying and making terrorist threats.